


Nevertheless

by Dzuljeta



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Wolf, Because She Must Be, F/M, Fluff, Jealousy, Multiple Doctors (Doctor Who), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Episode: s01e13 The Parting of the Ways, Romance, Tension, Time Lady Rose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-02-19 03:35:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22871203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dzuljeta/pseuds/Dzuljeta
Summary: The Ninth Doctor is too late. He saves Rose, but she's... different now. All of a sudden, she knows... next to everything. Even the fact he was supposed to regenerate.
Relationships: Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Nevertheless**

**1.**

It seemed it has all happened so quickly… Rose's omnipotence, destroying his greatest enemies, Jack's revival… And still, it seemed the Bad Wolf was enjoying herself, only leaving Rose when the TARDIS forced it out.

The Doctor, afraid something unalterable has happened to his fair companion, gulped. "Regeneration. How do you know about it? I don't remember ever talking about it with you, Rose!

She sighed. "Your unusual optimism amazes me, Doctor. Without me having any say in it, I now have my mind filled with all this  _ information. _

"But that's not the problem, Doctor. Did you plan to regenerate without telling me anything about it first? Has this been your plan all along? Leaving me without an explanation?"

The Doctor objected, defensive. "Nobody  _ chooses  _ to regenerate. Going through it is a torment."

Rose smiled at him sadly. "With me, a human, or is it _ a stupid ape  _ you prefer, not deserving to know something so crucial? Something changing you, your life for good?"

The Gallifreyan eyed her apologetically. "I didn't think you'd be ready to risk your life for me! I'm sorry."

"I'm ready to do so much more. The future is now altering itself, because of you."

"What have _ I  _ done?" He snapped. "Do you want me to become someone else, is this it?"

Rose backed away. "No! Why are you saying these things?"

* * *

An unfamiliar excited voice startled them both. If anything, Rose may have expected Jack Harkness to remind them of himself, but this,  _ this…  _ Rose realised she knew who this person was right away.

"Hello! Have I missed something?"

Rose turned to face the unfamiliar man and could almost physically feel the flood of emotions overtake her the second their eyes met. "You're too early."

The Doctor stared at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"You know who I am,” the younger-looking man smirked at him.

The ninth Doctor glared at the other one. "Look there,  _ youngster.  _ No-one is allowed to give me such looks. Or are you more of a Jack Harkness in this regeneration?" He asked dryly.

"I'm not. As much as I want to pull Rose into a passionate kiss, I can't. You're still here."

Rose sighed. " _ I'm _ still here. So, as there are two of you here and the universe hasn't exploded yet, I want explanations. From both of you."

Both Doctors exchanged glances.

"Well…" The newcomer began. "This is kind of twisted, as you were supposed to have become me by now. Yet here we stand, with Rose glaring at us.”

The younger Doctor inhaled, annoyed. Who did he think he was? A ray of sunshine? The only ray of sunshine he wanted to have by his side has been Rose, not some pretty boy imagining he could take her away from him in a blink of an eye!

"I know this. Tell me something else.”

The tenth Doctor blinked at him, speaking quietly.

"You have just greatly disturbed the flow of events, for Rassilon's sake."

"By  _ disturbed,  _ do you mean I should have regenerated?" The big-eared Time Lord glared at him.

“Yes. Look, I wasn’t expecting this. You were supposed to take traces of Bad Wolf out of her. Not to turn her into-”

The ninth Doctor glared at the future version of himself. "No matter what I was  _ supposed  _ to do, I didn't. Rose is standing here, unharmed."

_ Unharmed?! You're lucky she's been strong enough to fight the entity off by herself!  _

"I still don't see your problem," the leather-clad Time Lord said darkly. "You come aboard my ship, all jumpy, proclaiming I should be dead?"  _ So that you could have Rose all to yourself? _

Rose rolled her eyes.

"So, as far as I can see, neither of you wants to explain the situation to me. Instead, you choose fighting over me. For a species proclaiming to be above everyone else, that's about… human kind of low," she sighed. "Get yourselves… or should I say yourself? back together!"

Nobody's dared to say anything in return. Rose has been the one they wanted to keep safe, no matter what it took. Even if it meant having to go through a great deal of discomfort.

The tenth Doctor inhaled and spoke, his voice warm and supportive. "Tell me, what it is you'd like to know, Rose?"

"Why are you saying these dreadful things?"

"Because having two versions of the Doctor at the same time can't be good," he said simply. 

"I can see that. You look as if you are ready to kill one another."

The ninth Doctor spoke grumpily. "Sadly, it's not possible."

The other Doctor shrugged, winking at Rose. "Luckily for us both."

_ Don't you go all flirty with her,  _ the short-haired warned him.  _ It's still my ship and Rose is still my companion. _

The girl sighed. "The fact I have somehow acquired all this random information doesn't mean you are going to escape my questions!"

The ninth Doctor felt insulted. " _ Random?  _ This knowledge is only accessible by few!"

The older Time Lord sent him a meaningful, almost desperate look. It was clear some things needed to be kept from Rose in order not to startle her.

"We're going to have a private chat, Doctor to Doctor. Is this all right with you, dear?"

Rose blinked at the owner of this TARDIS, almost concerned. "Why do you ask? Go ahead. I'd be delighted to leave this heavy atmosphere behind."

The tenth Doctor nodded at her thankfully.

* * *

"So,  _ pretty boy.  _ What is it? Why are you so eager to take my place?"

The response was strangely serious. "You have allowed Rose to be overtaken by the Bad Wolf for too long. Now it's only a matter of time until the amount of information becomes too much for her. Don't forget, human brains can only take so much…"

"Are you threatening me? Don't you know I'm as concerned about Rose's well-being as you are?"

"That's what I'm counting on. Rose cannot remain as she used to be. The Bad Wolf is much too strong. If we don't want to lose our Rose, we must make sure she is strong enough to fight it off… By herself."

The ninth Doctor exhaled. "You keep using this one plural pronoun. Are you sure we could work together?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously…**

_ "That's what I'm counting on. Rose cannot remain as she used to be. The Bad Wolf is much too strong. If we don't want to lose our Rose, we must make sure she is strong enough to fight it off… By herself." _

_ The ninth Doctor exhaled. "You keep using this one plural pronoun. Are you sure we could work together?" _

**Nevertheless**

**2.**

"We must! You may dislike me, but we must concentrate on keeping Rose safe," the tenth Doctor spoke passionately.

"Ah. How do you suggest we do it? With our companion being more jeopardy-friendly than anyone I've ever known?"

"Is there anything more powerful than the Bad Wolf? Destroying the Dalek fleet with a move of her hand?"

The younger Time Lord swallowed the wish to roll his eyes at him. " _ You  _ tell me!"

"The Bad Wolf  _ is  _ Rose, as much as we may try to deny it. So, we either accept it and hope for the best or we do something about it!"

"What do you suggest?" The excitement in the Doctor's voice was both bothering the ninth Doctor and making him puzzled. There was something the next version of himself wasn't saying. Something the dark-haired alien has forbidden himself to even think about. 

"There are two of us. We must combine our efforts and make sure nothing bad happens, or else…"

"Be brief, please. Rose could return at any moment."

The tenth Doctor gulped. "You don't understand! Rose must be terrified. I can tell she wasn't expecting any of this…"

"You don't say," he muttered. "Anyway. I doubt we can do anything to stop the Bad Wolf from entering her mind whenever now."

"Bloody idiot. She has done all of that to save you! Risked her life without question! Yet you keep treating the occurrence as if it were nothing?" 

"Says the one who has just entered my ship without any proper explanation," the ninth Doctor rolled his eyes at the foolishly excited upcoming version of himself.

The older Doctor spoke quietly. "It's unlikely all this information in Rose's head could ever be removed, I'm sorry."

"But- she's human. Of course it can!"

"She's never going back to being human again. We can't allow that!"

The ninth Doctor was stunned. "Are you drunk, or what?"

"She's the woman we love, Rassilon! Why can't you accept that?"

"Nobody's saying we don't… don't want the best for her," the short-haired alien nodded, changing the idea he was about to convey at the very last second. "But what is it you want us to do?"

"The Bad Wolf has the upper hand, for now. But this can't last."

"What do you mean?" The ninth Doctor looked at his other version dubiously.

"Well… Apparently, hurting the Bad Wolf is out of the question. Even if the entity wouldn't have become a part of Rose, she's still a part of the TARDIS."

"So?"

"There is one way to both keep Rose safe and make her have the upper hand in this Bad Wolf occurrence."

"Which is?" The younger Doctor was losing patience.

"We need to make her stronger."

The ninth Doctor glared at the  _ pretty  _ one. "Honestly, I think your excitement is messing up with your head. How do you think we could- she's a companion! A human, for Rassilon's sake!"

The future version of the Doctor wasn't giving up. "Do I need to point everything out to you, Dumbo?"

"Yes! Your obsession with the girl almost makes me worry about your sanity."

"She's a part of our lives. We must-”

"He doesn't understand," Rose spoke quietly. "Doesn't want to understand."

"Understand what?"

_ I'm sorry.  _ Rose grabbed the ninth Doctor's hand, opening her mind to his.

The tenth Doctor stared at her.  _ You don't have to do this, Rose! _

The grumpy Time Lord exhaled, the colour on his face changing. "Ah. I should have realised. You two are-”

"Lovers?" The tenth Doctor suggested, smirking. "If only."

"No. Some parts of information in Rose's mind make no sense to me. She's just as into me as she's into you. This is insanity! Companions in love with some of my versions are a thing, yes. But she is-”

Rose moved away from the ninth Doctor, trying her best to stay on her feet. "All this information, it's killing me."

"It's too much, too soon. We need to expand her mind right now," the tenth Doctor spoke seriously. "Since you're, apparently, unwilling-”

The short-haired Doctor inhaled, horrified. "You want to do the irrevocable! If you take my place, the tenth instead of the ninth, everything is going to become one bloody mess!"

The tenth Doctor smiled at Rose calmingly. "He doesn't want to regenerate. That's all there is. A pre-regenerational panic."

"You don't say," Rose breathed, passing out.

The Doctors panicked. "What-”

The tenth Doctor was the only one realising what was happening. "Her body and mind need to work together. With the amount of information now filling her head feeling too much, she- look, I need your help. Rose needs our help."

The realisation has finally hit the ninth Doctor. "We must make her one of our kind."

"There is no other way, I'm sorry. I won't allow our future go to waste."

"Don't forget, it's my future as well," the younger Doctor spoke to his future version kindly. "Let's do this. We're lucky Rose's mind is susceptible to change," he finished sharply. He has never imagined any of this ever being possible. However, he has been proven wrong.

The older version of himself has brought the still unconscious Rose between them. "She needs to be conscious," he said darkly. "Needs to feel, needs to know we're both here for her."

The ninth Doctor inhaled. "Are you sure she's going to thank us for allowing her to go through all this torment? I think she'd much prefer the painless procedure."

"You, offering to take her excruciating torture of species change for yourself? That's brave," the tenth Doctor said with admiration.

The dark-haired Time Lord shook his head. "Since there are two of us here, we should take her transformational pain in equal parts. In that way, we'll all be equally responsible, if anything goes wrong."

"Sensible," the other Doctor agreed. "Anything for our Rose."

"Without  _ your  _ Rosie having any say in it?" The voice of Jack Harkness interrupted their well-meant intentions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Previously…**

_ "Sensible," the other Doctor agreed. "Anything for our Rose." _

_ "Without your Rosie having any say in it?" The voice of Jack Harkness interrupted their well-meant intentions. _

* * *

**Nevertheless**

**3.**

“How much have you heard, Harkness?” The ninth Doctor asked Jack harshly.

“Hardly enough,” he said. “Since there are two of you, both of you claiming some rights to Rosie,” something must be connecting all three of you, am I right?”

The tenth Doctor blinked at the immortal human, clearly having expected more from Jack. “You could say so.”

Jack beamed at the unfamiliar man. “Are you going to tell me who you are?”

“He’s the future version of myself,” the ninth Doctor said grumpily.

“Oh. This. Wonderful!” Jack spoke in amazement.

“I’m glad you think so,” the younger Time Lord couldn’t hide his frustration.

“It seems you two have something planned, concerning Rose. Is there anything I could help you with?"

"No."

"I think what my grumpy self wants to say is you should not interrupt whatever is about to happen.”

“I don’t intend to! For God’s sake. I can lock myself up inside my room and stay there quietly, not risking to accidentally ruin anything, I promise!”

"Good!"

“But if something bad happens to her-” Jack began threateningly.

“Nothing will. Saving the woman we both, well-”

“Love," the human finished helpfully.

“If anything happens to any of us, the one harmed won't be Rose.”

“That’s the one thing I’d expect from you. Doctors. Keeping Rose safe, Jack said thoughtfully. “But you’re not the only ones wanting to keep her from harm. She’s my friend, too!” 

“She is, but the procedure we’re going to put her through isn’t going to be painless. You should really leave.”

“You are saying this to  _ me? _ I have gone through countless attempts to kill me. By which I mean… countless. Being left a bloody mess and surviving, as if it were nothing?”

“It must have been dreadful. Absolutely dreadful,” the ninth Doctor nodded, thoughtful.

“So sorry,” the older Time Lord said honestly.

Jack pushed their words aside. “Just out of curiosity. Have you become this, well,  _ good-looking _ to please Rose?”

The tenth Doctor glared at Jack, but nodded. “It's likely. For Rose, to Rose, however you name it.”

“Ha! I knew it!” Am I truly not allowed to know what it is you two intend to do?”

“No.” The ninth Doctor’s response was firm.

“Wait, really? No? I can be as quiet as a mouse!” Jack sent an expectant look to the other Doctor.

“I’m sorry. No is no.” 

“Even for your faithful companion? For your friend?”

“You are a friend, of sorts,” the short-haired Doctor agreed. “Faithful? No way. You’d run away the second you’re bored with us and I’m sure everyone knows it.”

Jack objected. “Don’t be stupid. Leaving you hasn’t even been my choice!”

The older Doctor gulped. “Yeah. Sorry about that. Too much has been happening to even spare a thought about-”

“About a fellow traveller you have chosen to forget existed? At least try to _ look  _ guilty, yeah?” The immortal man shrugged, addressing both of the Doctors.

“You have no idea how much it takes for me  _ not  _ to feel guilty about a lot of things,” the tenth Doctor sighed. “You may have noticed.”

Jack Harkness sent them both a wry smile. “I’m sure having Rose near has kept a great deal of your insecurities away.”

The ninth Doctor thundered. “What are you implying?!”

“Nothing but the usual, I suppose,” the older Time Lord shrugged.

The ninth Doctor understood he wasn’t surprised. “My future version is just the same as you and me, when it comes to wanting to keep Rose safe.”

“Knowing you, I'm sure of it, Doc.”

The older Doctor shrugged. “We should hurry. I know you are used to a lot of strange things, Jack, but this is something… life-changing. Not a single… additional person is allowed in the process, with your timeline already changed heavily several times and likely to change multiple times over and over again, I’m so sorry, Jack-”

The immortal human nodded, rolling his eyes. “You could have asked me to leave the room with two words.”

“It seems this future version of me is… very interested in talking,” the younger Time Lord said grumpily, addressing the human.

_ You know we can't proceed with Jack Harkness here! It may damage his mind! _

The ninth Doctor shrugged.  _ The old girl would say Jack has always been intolerably out of his wits, either way. _

Jack stared at them. It seemed like the two Doctors were both into wasting time at this point.

“Look, your sweetheart is lying here, unconscious. I refuse to leave, until I get to see her open her eyes!”

The tenth Doctor tried to speak calmly. “The TARDIS is keeping her this way. It's completely safe. Please, the sooner you leave this room, the sooner we can begin the process.”

It seemed the immortal human has finally remembered he has come to them uninvited.

“You're lucky I trust you without question here, Doc. Just promise me one thing - bring Rose back unharmed.”

A mutual assurance followed and, likely with some unnoticeable assistance from the TARDIS, Jack Harkness left the room.

Both of the Doctors were relieved. Their well-being didn't matter now. Only that of the woman they loved.

_ Is there a way for us to live through the pain meant for her without getting her to see it?  _ The short-haired Doctor asked, already knowing the answer.

“Rose must be awake and able to take part in the process fully.”

“How? Assuming we take all the pain from her?”

_ Rose is the key figure in this, remember! I'm sure having her become a Time Lady is going to smoothen a lot of timeline-altering things we may have thoughtlessly done. _

“Optimist, are you?” The ninth Doctor wasn't convinced. “Has it ever crossed your mind having a new member belonging to our species, widely thought destroyed or, usually, nothing but a myth, could bring unfixable mess to the entire universe?”

The older version of the Doctor inhaled. “If you don't want to save the woman you love, you should probably-”

“Regenerate? Tough. I'm here and I'm staying. Let's do this!”

The brown-eyed Doctor nodded, planting a kiss on Rose's hand.  _ I won't have you become a jealous mess. Kisses on the lips can wait. _

Just as the older Doctor has expected, Rose opened her eyes. “Has anything happened?”

“It is about to. Could you stand up and hold my hand, Rose?”

The girl blinked at the Time Lord. ”Yes, but what about my Doctor? Shouldn't I-”

“We should both be holding your hands. That's the only way for you to avoid any pain.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked, terrified.

The ninth Doctor sent her an assuring look. “Just keep holding our hands. We will make sure you experience no transformational pain whatsoever, dear.”

The girl swallowed the question she was about to give. The Doctors, both her current and her future one, they were willing to do the unfathomable! For her sake!”

“You are going to share the pain I am supposed to be going through between yourselves? But why?”

A shared look filled with unmistakable feeling has been what Rose has got for an answer.


End file.
